In its latest building control gateway 2 update, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has announced that application approvals have risen to 71%
Sharing figures for the 12 weeks up to 1 May 2026, the regulator said the latest data transparency data demonstrated a “continued positive momentum of increasing decisions” by the Innovation Unit (IU) and a key focus on “addressing applications for remediation projects on existing buildings”.
The 71% approval rate represents an increase from the 67% reported in the previous 12-week period, with 323 Gateway 2 decisions being made across all categories compared to 284 previously.
A higher number of decisions have also been made on complex cases, following greater engagement between account managers and applicants. During the past 12 weeks, the IU team has approved 24 out of 33 applications, and the number of legacy, long-term cases – described as having significant technical challenges – has also reduced to eight.
The number of live complex cases stands at 12, with the regulator adding that it was engaging with industry on a “shared understanding of compliance” as it seeks to reduce this figure further.
Following the closure of Assent Building Control, which ceased trading in November 2025, the regulator has been required to take on additional higher-risk building projects, and the number of transitional cases has risen to 43.
External Remediation Improvement Plan
As previously reported by the FPA, in April, the regulator detailed its External Remediation Improvement Plan, with external remediation-driven guidance published to support and guide applicants.
There are now 20 legacy remediation applications from 2024 remaining, down from 42 cases at the beginning of 2026. Following an increase in guidance and engagement, the regulator has noted that those applications being submitted in 2026 are progressing through the system far more rapidly than earlier applications.
“Operational enhancements and intensive application refinement have seen Remediation approval rates already approaching the minimum 65% target for 2026,” the regulator added. It is understood that 12 of the 20 remaining legacy applications received in 2024 are set to have decisions made by mid-May.
Acting CEO of the BSR, Charlie Pugsley, welcomed the continued improvement in both new build and existing building remediation cases, noting the “significantly faster decision times”.
This is largely due to the regulator’s use of batching of new build, remediation, and refurbishment cases, where the median time from a case being issued to a supplier to a full assessment being returned to the regulator is just 4 weeks.
Pugsley was also encouraged to see the regulator reaching close to its intended targets for the year, but noted: “we are not being complacent and recognise that people living in unremediated buildings want them to be fixed, safely and at pace”.
“We are working to accelerate our assessments, decisions, and approvals, ensuring industry can construct safe buildings so that thousands of residents see the essential safety improvements they deserve. But we remain steadfastly committed to ensuring that accelerated decision-making must never come at the cost of building safety,” he said.
The latest transparency data, from February to April 2026, is accessible here.